Girls
by Rynn
Summary: It's the start of a new year and Yankumi is given a new 3-D class with a twist: an all girls' class. Accustomed to boys and their antics, she's out of her element like a fish out of water. Especially when faced with the fact that her girls' idea of fun involves bullying and intimidating each other.
1. Introduction

Alternate universe, what if Yankumi was given the challenge of handling an all girls' class? I've got a few ideas for this one but I'm really trying to not to turn this into a large project. Come to think of it...didn't I say the same thing when I began CTD? This is something different for me though I am by no means giving up CTD. Working steadily on Ch 22 as we speak :)

Warning: I do not have a beta and there is some unpleasant name-calling in this story.

* * *

Girls: Introduction

* * *

Yamaguchi Kumiko strolled through the clean school grounds, passing by a bunch of girls who were posing for a group photo taken by a mobile. It made Yankumi smile as she reminisced on her high school times as a young girl…taking photos with her girlfriends… Eh? Come to think of it…most of her high school time involved hanging out with her guy chums. _By hanging out with she meant being their kumicho_ but that was a trivial detail… Come to think of it…no matter how much she raked her brain, Yankumi couldn't remember having any girlfriends.

Yankumi bit her waggling lip, an inch away from crying. However, she turned away dramatically and waved her hand over her heart. She was hired at an all boys' school and it was her duty to teach them. Friendships with boys were just as valid as friendships with girls. Also, she had established in her teaching records that she had a natural talent for dealing with rowdy male students. If kamisama gave her a knack for reforming bad male apples then it had to be her true calling! Though she was interested in the aspect of teaching at a co-ed school, she had to follow her destiny and true calling.

She returned to her commute and hummed to herself, marveled by the pink cherry blossoms sprinkling the ground softly like snow.

Suddenly the teacher stopped, she peered back to the group of girls who were rushing towards the same building she was approaching. _Odd._ She thought.

A light bulb lit in her head. "Ah! They're going to see their boyfriends, of course! Oh love in the spring time."

She continued to hum to herself, even skipping happily to the tune in her head.

Yankumi spotted more girls strolling to her building and again, shrugged it off with a smile. "Wow, my future students must be very handsome if so many of them have girlfriends."

She turned the corner of the gate, expecting to see a yard with her soon-to-be students, strolling, and conversing.

She halted with difficulty like a steaming train, nearly doubling over. She gawked at over at a dozen female students in matching dark blue uniforms of black bowties, long blazers with school emblem buttons and knee-length pleated skirts. The girls giggled passionately, pouring over fashion magazines, chatting loudly on their mobiles or texting with thumbs moving so fast they blurred.

Yankumi sighed with a smile.

Of course! She thought.

She had mistaken the address! Good thing she left home extra early to account for such possible mistakes.

Yankumi opened her bag and searched for her recruitment letter. The correct address would be there, probably as simple as a misread block number…

She opened the letter, stained by Minoru who was cooking curry as he handed it to her. He had bowed numerous times for forgiveness but Yankumi reassured him that the information was still legible.

The letter had only been marred by two blotches of orange curry by the name, which Yankumi could still read as Aodou and along the first line describing the school as a "world-class institution."

She read the address to herself then she searched for the plaque along the walls… Her brows knitted from perplexity. According to the letter she was standing at the correct address.

As snickered to herself. _But how could that be?! I'm looking for Aodou Gakuen! Not Aojou—_

Her eyes were wide behind her glasses. Yankumi held the letter close to her face. She slowly licked her index finger and carefully wiped along the name and first sentence. The dry curry surprising thinned enough to reveal "jou" and "for girls."

She read the letter again. 青女学園 Aojou Gakuen—World-class institution for girls.

Suddenly all of the mismatched puzzle pieces fit into their rightful places. Yankumi had been recruited for an all girls' school. She slowly lifted her chin up to the sky, as if to speak to kamisama. "How did this happen?"

* * *

Despite being sideswiped by the surprise, Yankumi lifted her head high, mentally prepping herself for the challenge. She had been hired to be a homeroom teacher for a group of young girls and her responsibility was no less than it had been when she taught boys.

Frankly, she found it exciting. She remembered the cheery girls who were taking a friend picture together. She held out her hand to the sky dramatically, configuring a plan. She never had girlfriends so she would experience having high school girlfriends through the eyes of her students. Of course, she could never return to that time, but she was sure that in no time, she would be girlfriends with her students.

The teacher daydreamed that maybe…just maybe someday her students would want to take a friends-forever picture with her. She cupped her cheek bashfully then shrugged the thought away.

"Ohayo gozaimasu! Good morning!" A group of first years bowed to Yankumi respectfully.

"Ohayo." Yankumi greeted then she checked her watch. "Ah, girls, don't be late for homeroom."

The girls scampered away and Yankumi felt warmth in her torso. She had a good feeling already about Aojou.

* * *

"Ah welcome to a new school year _Principal._" The stubby Vice Principal praised his superior, gracing his hand upon the new mahogany desk.

The Principal, a man with a flip hair cut, flashed a toothy grin. He spun in his comfy leather chair, smoothing the sides of his gelled hair. "Ah, someday Vice Principal Honda, if you work as hard as I do, you'll be given a shiny new desk too."

His smile broke then he spotted a framed picture at the corner of his lovely desk: a picture of his pushy wife. Quickly, he jumped out of his chair, grabbing the picture as if to hide it. "How did this get here?!" He muttered to the frame, fogging the picture.

He rushed to a row of cabinets and frantically flipped through for an empty drawer. While turned away, trying to lose the picture, he didn't spot the new teacher strolling in.

"Oh, pardon, Principal. I hope you're satisfied with the arrangements I made for…_you know what_." He whispered the latter half of the sentence.

The Principal smiled again. "I trust that you have found the _perfect _person for the job. I have no fear in your judgment."

The short man pursed his lips proudly, setting his wrists to his hips, gleaming under the incandescent light. "The agency was one-hundred percent sure of this guy. He has worked exclusively with difficult teens and no student has _ever gotten better of him_. Yes, Principal, I am certain this teacher will be answer to our problems."

"Hopefully the new teacher isn't deterred by the manipulative little _wenches' _crying." The English teacher, a young woman with beady eyes, named Aika Anzai, mumbled to herself as she sorted her files.

The science teacher, an elderly gentleman with thin discolored hair, named Hisayo Fukui sat next to Anzai. He cringed then sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "It's the _worst _when they cry. Pretty difficult, ne?"

The gym teacher, named Kento Arai, blew his whistled accusingly at them, leaning in as if overhearing a personal insult. "Was that supposed to be a jab at me?"

"You need to rule your classes with an iron fist!" The headteacher, named Iwao Kato, chimed in, nodding at his advice. , He looked more comedic than teacher-like with dark sunglasses and leather gloves.

Yankumi, dressed to impress in a black skirt suit, stood tall, ready to greet her new colleagues. "Ohayo gozaimasu. I'm the new teacher, Yamaguchi Kumiko. Please take care of me." With that she bowed respectfully at her waist.

The principal, still grinning from his colleague's successful find, merely glanced over to the teacher. As he began to stroll to his desk, he couldn't help but notice how his memory was sparked by the teacher's pigtails and glasses.

She kind of reminded him of someone.

The principal's carefree smiled broke into a frown.

_No, it couldn't be! _

Yankumi gazed upon each of her colleague's faces but couldn't help but fix her attention on a man with a tacky hair cut. She couldn't conceive as to how _another _person in the whole world could have such bad style—

_No, it couldn't be!_

The teacher and principal slowly approached each other, gaping at each other, fingers pointed. Yankumi could swear that she saw tears in his eyes.

"Sawatari?"

"Yamaguchi?"

"What are you doing here?!" They shouted in unison.

"They know each other?" The science teacher dully said.

Vice Principal Honda quickly rushed to the scene, armed with files. "Are you supposed to be the new teacher? No no, this must be a mistake." He murmured flipping through the teacher files.

He stared at the picture then showed it to Sawatari and Yankumi. It was a picture of sharp faced middle-aged man. "You are definitely not him."

Yankumi took the file and skimmed its contents. "Sorry, but this _is _my name and work history. Yamaguchi, Kumiko."

Honda took the file and turned pale. "Kumiko…very girly name. It's what I get for just looking at the picture—"

"Are you saying you only looked at the picture before recruiting a new teacher?!" Principal Sawatari scolded above his colleague's ear. He was aghast from how the VP had literally just said how he explained his _supposedly_ thorough recruitment.

"I asked for someone with a history of dealing with difficult students and they gave me this file! They must have mixed up the pictures—"

"What kind of an explanation is that?!" A vein in Sawatari's forehead bulged, looking ready for burst.

"Difficult students?" Yankumi piped up.

"Either way, she cannot stay here. I will not allow it." Sawatari pointed a reproachful finger at her. "She carries a curse wherever she teaches. Every school she has ever worked for has gone bankrupt! Shirokin, Kurogin, Akadou—"

"Curse?!" Yankumi's cheeks puffed from anger.

"Sah, isn't that every school Principal Sawatari has worked for too?" The English teacher hummed thoughtfully, causing Sawatari to turn as white as a ghost.

Sawatari rubbed his aching forehead before sighing and forcing a composed face. Despite thinking he appeared relaxed, the blood rushed back into his skin, causing him to look like a giant green-suit clad lobster. "Yamaguchi-sensei, let's take a walk."

* * *

"Let me explain this to you _very carefully_, Yamaguchi-sensei." Sawatari began in the hallways as they stood near the windows overlooking the school gardens. "I know you have built a _career _out of reforming trash—err difficult students—"

"You have entrusted me with three classes before this one. I believe I am more than demonstrated—"

"_This is different._" He warned. "I know your history. You have never taught at an all girls' school before, not even high school co-ed. You have no idea what you're up against."

"Pardon, Principal, but surely rowdiness isn't that different if it's done by boys or girls?" Yankumi said, trying to ease her superior's worries, not sure if she believed her words. "Girls still require guidance and a teacher they can trust."

Sawatari opened his mouth to say something else but stopped. He meekly patted her shoulder. "Maybe it's a good thing to let you stay naïve as long as you can. It will be less painful that way."

He proceeded down the hall before saying, "change into your jersey."

Yankumi peered down at her formal outfit and heels. "Heh? Jersey? But Principal how will I relate to the girls—"

"Change, otherwise how will you run?" He grimaced. Almost in tears, he grasped his mouth in disbelief from saying those words yet again.

* * *

He led her to the door with the notorious '3-D' post perched above the door. Sawatari grunted. Was he doomed to always have a terrible 3-D class with Yamaguchi-sensei? Yankumi couldn't help but feel relaxed in the impeccable hallways and with a quick glance through the classroom windows, no signs of graffiti or vandalism.

Suddenly she missed the vandalism from her old classes—it foreshadowed the rowdiness, displayed it like a flag for all to see. Maybe it was that the Principal's words were finally sinking in, and her confidence was waning. The hallway was too clean but was that foreshadowing?

Sawatari stared at the door with dread. "This is where I leave you. Remember, now it's too late to say no to the job." Before Yankumi could respond, he spun on his heel and fled with astonishing speed.

She gripped her binder tightly then extended her arm. "Fight-o! Oh!"

With a smile, Yankumi stepped through the door and immediately heard shrill, high-pitched voices of twenty-four girls. After teaching rowdy boys for years, it was difficult to imagine that girls _could _be even louder.

She gazed upon her classroom, unsurprised by the lack of interest from her new students. Maybe it wasn't going to be so different from her boy's only classes, after all? She couldn't help but notice the stark presentation differences between her students and those nice girls she had encountered in the hall.

Compared to the straight-laced girls with smart uniforms with cute bowties, Yankumi couldn't spot a single girl who could properly fit the dress code. Their blazers were unbuttoned, revealing cute, some overly revealing, blouses underneath. Even sitting, some of the girls clearly had their skirts rolled up too high showing too much thigh. Yankumi was also surprised by the number of visible piercings, from ear piercings trailing all around the ear cavity to nose and brow rings. More than a few girls had unnaturally colored hair, probably the style (how would Yankumi know?) but honestly, pink? Blue? Much too garish for high schoolers…

The formation of the desks was in disarray, partially separated into two large chunks immediately facing each other while two loner desks were pushed to the back. She noticed the two conspicuously empty desks next to the loner pair and made a mental note.

Another thing that instantly caught her attention was how _aggressively _they spoke to each other and about each other. _Bitch, whore, slut… _Some of the language she had already heard thrown casually could make her yazuka family shrink…

Yankumi stood at the podium and introduced herself. "Ohayo gozaimasu! Good morning! I am Yamaguchi Kumiko." Most of the chatter died down as the young girls stared at the teacher in disbelief from either her clothes or her sugary sweet greeting.

The teacher turned away to write out the characters of her name on the chalkboard. "Ya-ma-gu-chi-ku-mi-ko. But you all may call me by my nick name, Yankumi! Oh and incidentally, I'm single."

One of the girls with blue hair streaks scoffed nastily. "Shouldn't surprise anyone." A group of girls with colorful blouses joined her in malevolent giggling.

"An old, ugly thing like you?" Another girl with wild pink hair added. "You'll stay single for a _long _time."

This earned a few more scattered giggles throughout the classroom.

"What the _hell _are you wearing? Are you so poor that you can't buy better clothes?" A flashy girl with heavy, expensive jewelry, outfitted as if Ginza had vomited all over her. Though the girl was clothed in very expensive brand names, she looked excessively gaudy.

_Ugly? Poor?_ Yankumi was appalled by their malice. Before Yankumi had dealt with aggression and threats of physical violence but this was downright bullying. Words weren't supposed to hurt, but that didn't soothe the strange pangs in her torso.

"Let me call out attendance." Yankumi opened her binder and began. "Amori, Junko?"

"Here." A girl answered dully, resting her head on her arm as if about to fall asleep.

She checked off the girl's name, unperturbed by her lack of respect. "Yu, Akiko?"

"Here!" A girl with glasses raised her hand.

"Matsuoka, Kana?"

"Here." The girl with sky blue steaks and winged eyeliner answered in annoyance.

"Tachibana, Natsumi?"

A cheery girl with a beautiful smile raised her hand.

"Ogawa, Manami?"

"Heh." The gaudy girl merely groaned, flicking her hand with heavy-looking, brightly painted fingernails.

"Ueno, Fuyue?"

The casual chatter silenced distinctly from the name and still managed earned a shushed snicker from the gaudy girls. Yankumi felt all sets of eyes fall into her and the teacher wondered if she had uncovered an unpleasant subject for 3-D.

She cleared her throat and asked again. "Ueno, Fuyue?"

Yankumi glimpsed throughout the room as the girls ducked their heads, not wishing to be called on for questioning. When no one could answer for the girl, she tried again. "Hey girls, is your friend Fuyue here today?"

Immediately the chatter returned but with fury. "What_ friend_?" Numerous girls groaned.

"Good riddance—to hell with that icy bitch." The Ginza girl exclaimed, loudly and harshly as if she wished for someone to take offense.

"Go _screw_ yourself, Ogawa." Natsumi hissed, quivering as if she had fought so hard to withhold her words before giving in. She nearly lunged to Manami but was yanked back harshly by Akiko. Yankumi could see the calculating look in her eyes, measuring the possibilities of facing eight versus one or shamefully swallowing her pride.

Yankumi immediately rushed between the girls, arms extended prepared to hold either of them back. "Students, no need for such bad swearing..."

Manami glared at Akiko and Natsumi with deep resentment. "Such big words coming from such a small group." She tilted in her chair towards Natsumi and Akiko. "Watch yourself, Tachi."

Natsumi's knuckles turned white as she gripped her desk tightly. She could take on Manami by herself, but not her army of prissy goons. Eventually, with extreme difficulty, she sat down, softly panting to calm herself, using with every last bit of her will to not tear into Manami's face.

Manami scoffed smugly. Already victorious, she was more than merry to rub salt on the open wound. "Just as I thought, not so tough without ice bitch."

"Ogawa, stop it now." Yankumi interjected in the deepest timbres of her voice, her blood boiling from the vicious behavior.

Manami Ogawa smacked her gloss-covered lips, adding to the rudeness of her retort. "What are you going to do about it, ug-ly?"

Her best friends laughed callously, further reassuring Manami.

Yankumi felt her own knuckles tighten as she stared at her pupil. She restrained herself despite the thought in her head reminding her that Manami was the type of bratty girl that she used to beat up in her school days. However, the methods she had used with her male students wouldn't cut it for an all girls' class.

She had to be sneaky, punches wouldn't do.

So, Yankumi hit back with her best weapon. She _smiled_ at the malicious girl, spotting an annoyed twitch as if the girl expected a louder, more hurt response. Then she turned to the rest of the class. "Sah, jyugo hajimeruyo. Let's begin the lesson."

* * *

Yankumi pondered at her teacher's desk with her chopsticks poised in her mouth. Tetsu's cooking had improved even more but she couldn't even enjoy her meal, thinking about the girls. She was truly out of her element, boys were rowdy, aggressive but those girls…were venomous. Like vicious snakes who can't pack a punch but one bite with venom that could kill could bring her to the ground. Within one homeroom lesson, just a handful of malicious girls were able to conjure sensitivities even Yankumi forget she felt...

She shook her head, her pigtails whipping at her neck. She had faced girls like that before _and beaten them_. Their words was just a game and as an adult woman, she wouldn't allow them to break her core.

There was zero doubt that Sawatari had been right about a few things. The most important being that her situation _was different_. Profoundly different. In her previous classes there was always some sort of hierarchy, an unassigned leader through the chaos. Her girls were more group oriented, into three noticeable packs. There was a rivalry between the two larger groups. Particularly Matsuoka and Ogawa's girls, but they mostly focused their worst attention on the two girls sitting in the back, the weakest in numbers, Tachibana and Yu. Yankumi wondered if she were going to witness a fight for homeroom leader.

She drilled her eyes up and down her classroom list. Only two hadn't shown up that day if her memory served correctly… She dragged her finger down the list, looking for the two x's in the attendance column… Tsukino, Haruhi and…

The chatter in the teacher's office was halted by the abrupt knocking at their door. Finally the door was kicked open as a teenager strode inside. The teenager zipped by Yankumi's desk so fast that she barely caught sight of her face through her loose, sleek black hair. The teenager marched right to Principal Sawatari's desk.

He was furious by the noise and the damage on the door. "Ueno! What is the meaning of this?"

Without a word, the teenager tossed a sheet of paper to his desk. The principal caught it between both palms as it fluttered to his worksheets.

He flipped it over and read aloud. "Your drop-out request?" He hissed however he then smiled cruelly as if more than happy to oblige. "If that's your prerogative then so be it! Aojou will have no more ties with the likes of you."

Though Yankumi could only see the back of her grey flowy blouse, she could tell that the teenager's expression didn't change in the slightest by the strict coldness in her features. As she walked away, she briefly looked at the unfamiliar teacher with startlingly blue eyes that didn't betray her frigidness.

Without another word, the teenager left the office, the clipping of her shoes remarkably loud in the silent office.

"She filled the request?" Honda mumbled over his superior's shoulder, peering at the sheet.

"And her request is granted!" Sawatari grumbled, nearly crumbling the sheet in anger. "Good riddance, Aojou doesn't need any more trash."

"Such a pity…she got really good marks as well. Could have added to the college acceptance rate." Anzai sighed thoughtfully.

"Was she your student?" Yankumi asked Anzai soothingly.

Anzai's expression intensified from her seemingly usual dull manner. "You thought—"

"Take Ueno off your student list, Yamaguchi-sensei. Honda-sensei, get her an updated list." Sawatari answered Yankumi's question, cutting off Anzai.

The short Vice Principal pedaled off to the printers.

Yankumi jumped to her feet, pressing her palm to her chest. Her student? "My student? She's my student?" Yankumi stammered, trying to process the situation. She desperately wished she had known even five minutes earlier so she could have intervened…

"_Was _your student. She's dropped out. Now you drop it." Sawatari interrupted, wishing for a quick end to the subject. He folded the request and set it aside into a tray to be filed by the office-lady.

"But Principal, do you know why she wants to drop out?" Yankumi hovered near Sawatari like a pesky fly he couldn't swat.

"I don't. Who cares? She's dropped out, I'm done with it." He twisted and turned yet Yankumi was always too fast to be avoided.

"But as her homeroom teacher it's my job to know why she wishes to drop out and to help her make the best decision possible."

"She's made her decision, and now drop it." The principal insisted.

Yankumi bit her lip right as Honda returned with the fresh list. "Thank you Vice Principal, however I would like to get the chance to speak with the student—"

"She's not our student anymore." Sawatari interrupted, knowing it was futile to convince the persistent Yankumi otherwise.

"If it's a tuition issue, or some family complications, I wish to know so I may help her in the best way." Yankumi insisted.

"It's not a money issue." Sawatari responded then gritted his teeth, showing that he immediately regretted the outburst.

Yankumi gaped at the principal. "Then you know why she's leaving—"

Yankumi glanced over the list finally but found something else that was incorrect. "Vice Principal, pardon but there is a mistake. I'm supposed to have twenty-five names on this list." She retrieved her former list from her desk next to her now cold lunch. She traced her finger through the names. "Ah, you've forgotten…Tsukino, Haruhi."

Sawatari slapped his palm on the list as if to distract her focus from the name. "That person has left as well." He reported curtly.

"Eh? Another drop out?!" Yankumi couldn't believe it. How could two students leave on her watch?!

The principal shook his head furiously. "No, that student…_transferred._" Sawatari uttered dubiously as if the statement left a bitter taste in his mouth. Yankumi leaned in closely; she could see his forehead perspiring from unease.

"Eh? But why would she still be on my list? She transferred to another school? Would her records be here so I can make sure she transferred correctly since the system thinks she is still attending?"

Sawatari gagged as bile trickled up his throat unpleasantly. "The student's paperwork has been sorted out, Yamaguchi-sensei. It was probably a _secretarial error_!" He roared the latter half of the statement to the OL who bowed her head in shame.

Yankumi sighed, willing to buy an administrative error. "Ah, which school does she attend now? Momogawa?"

Sawatari cringed again, wrapping an arm around his stomach as if bothered by an ulcer. He then sighed deeply in relief when the bell rang to conclude the lunch period and effectively end the dialogue. "Get back to your classes everyone and take your new list, Yamaguchi-sensei." He flicked her away, marching back to the safety of his desk.

Yankumi's brows knitted then she peered down at her binder to stare at the two different lists. Sawatari was not all there as a person any time of the day, yet what could possibly make him act so strange?

* * *

After the final bell rang for the day, Yankumi quietly slipped back into the teacher's office. She initially busied herself preparing a week-long schedule, just spending enough time to ward off Sawatari and Honda's suspicions.

After the science, gym and English teacher bid their farewells for the day, Yankumi snuck over to the student records. Flipping through, she found something peculiar. She lifted it out and realized it was a framed photograph.

"Eh? The Principal's wife?" The woman who had failed to match Yankumi with a potential husband was pursing her lips foolishly in the photo. Yankumi grimaced, putting the photograph back into the cabinet.

She found Ueno, Fuyue first and quickly read through. The girl with long dark hair and blue eyes stared blankly in the photo. Both parents alive and working. One younger brother in middle school. Completed elementary school and some of middle school abroad. Best subject was English.

Nothing particularly revealing in terms of why she would wish to drop out of her final year of high school. The bottom portion of the sheet declared her as a drop out without a transfer school. Yankumi decided that meant that Ueno wasn't moving abroad. So why would she suddenly drop out on the first day?

Yankumi tucked her file under her arm, remembering to pick up Tsukino, Haruhi before going to the copy machine to take their resident details. She found the file and gazed at the photo of the girl she had never seen before. She had a square face and sharp features. Her hair was dyed to a light brown judging by her dark roots. Her eyes were large, making her appear almost vulnerable in the photograph despite her broad shoulders.

Yankumi read through her information. Both parents alive and working. One younger sister in elementary school. No behavioral issues. Best subject science.

"Again, nothing too insightful." Yankumi sighed in defeat. It seemed that both girls were progressing well in Aojou gakuen so why would they leave? Well, Tsukino transferred—

The teacher skimmed through the transfer information but her attention honed in on the school details. She read each character with painful scrutiny, making one million percent sure that she read the name correct. 青年学園 Seinen gakuen.

"Wait a minute. Isn't that an all _boys_' school? Why would her details be transferred there?"

Yankumi peered up to the ceiling as if she searched for the sky. She gulped then whispered to no one, "what's going on here?"

* * *

End of the introduction! Tell me what you all think. I hope that wasn't too light in terms of an introduction...


	2. Boys will be Girls

Automated disclaimer: Suing me will get you zero satisfaction.

Warning: No beta. Grammar-nazis read at your own risk...

* * *

Girls

Chapter 1: Boys will be Girls

* * *

Yankumi dialed Seinen Gakuen, her eyes fixed on the clock, watching the minute hand slowly inch towards 12. It was nearing five in the afternoon and even the school cleaners had gone home already. She hoped someone in the Seinen administration office would still be around—

"Seinen Gakuen gozaimasu." A soft voice answered right as Yankumi nearly delayed her call by hanging up. The woman on the line panted as if she had already been out the door when the phone rang.

Yankumi exhaled gratefully in relief and perched herself against the edge of her desk, picturing her colleagues by the hierarchical formation of their desks. Yankumi was new so she was near the front next to the office lady... "Thank you. I am a high school teacher and I was hoping to quickly check the status for a transfer student. According to our records, the student has not yet fully enrolled."

"Alright. Just a moment." The woman's voice disappeared for a moment. Yankumi could hear gentle shuffling in the background. "Student's name please?"

"Tsukino, please." Yankumi replied, swaying on her feet.

"Tsukino…eh…you do have a first name?"

"Yes, Kumiko." Yankumi answered, mindlessly.

"Kumiko?" The woman repeated, her intonation rising in confusion.

Yankumi realized her mistake, nearly losing her balance as she straightened up suddenly. "Pardon! I meant the _student's _first name is Haruhi."

"Haruhi? _Chotto, _isn't that's a girl's name…" The woman murmured thoughtfully into the receiver.

The teacher shook her head and stammered. "I-I-I've only got _part _of the name. Someone wrote it ineligibly, they must have used strange kanji." Yankumi wasn't satisfied with her explanation; it made her sound like an illiterate buffoon.

"Eh…come to think of it…we _do _have a Tsukino, Haruhiro. Could that be who you're looking for?"

"Ah! Haruhiro! I can read it now! Sahhhh, I was wondering why someone named Haruhi would be transferring to an all boys' school." She cleared her throat from the strained high pitched she forced for her voice.

"Sahhh, neh?" The woman agreed, ambiguous from her tone if she really believed Yankumi or not. "Tsukino, Haruhiro, hmmm no, he has not fully enrolled yet. He hasn't shown up for school yet despite classes starting today."

_Tsukino, Haruhiro._"Ah, I understand now. Thank you so much for your time."

"Quick question, which school did you say you were from?" The woman asked and Yankumi turned as white as a sheet. "Sahhh." Yankumi racked her brain, trying to think of a co-ed school or another all boys' school. Her face contorted painfully with closed eyes, and then desperately, she smashed the phone into the holder, effectively ending the call.

"Off the hook for now." She exhaled in relief. She felt bad for rudely ending the call…but she couldn't risk her plan backfiring so soon after initiating it.

She was left alone in silence for a moment, posed with awkwardly over the phone receiver.

The telephone rang under her hand, piercing the silence of the teacher's office like a knife through warm butter. She cringed as a chill ran down her spine—what if someone came in to answer? Her palm was glued against the receiver as if she was frightened to accidentally answer. "Yabai! Dangerous! Last-call return!" She whimpered. She peered around the teacher's office desperately, her pigtails hitting against the edge of her glasses. Without another course of action, she slowly, shamefully tiptoed out as the phone continued to ring without answer.

* * *

Yankumi meandered down the residential street, admiring the large gardens behind the tall gates connected to sun yellow brick walls. "What a nice area, sah..." She stared in awe the immaculate, tree-decorated streets, hearing the rush of a train zipping by in the distance.

The sun was settling in the west, coloring the whole sky a deep smoky orange. Though Yankumi couldn't hold back the thought that the color was aided by the urban pollution…

"Tsukino…Tsukino…" She searched for the family residence earnestly, figuring it should be one of the few houses ahead.

Right as she spotted the characters '月野' on the gate, her feet stopped when she heard tense voices.

"He's not here. His father won't allow it."

"If Haruhi is home, tell h—"

"_He's_ not, Fuyue…I'm sorry but please do not ever speak to my son again. You've caused enough trouble."

Yankumi hopped out of the way as the front door shut and furious steps pounded against the walkway. The gate swung opened brutally, nearly hitting Yankumi as the teenager kicked it with astounding power.

The teacher tried to make herself look as small as possible so she wouldn't be accused of eavesdropping, however she slowly peeked open her eyes when no impact came. With baited breath, she recognized the teenager from before.

Her expression, unlike before when it was emotional as a sheet of paper, displayed scorn as sharp as a blade. The frustrated teen ran a restless hand through her long hair as the style blew into disarray from the breeze. She heaved deep breaths, panting from emotional exertion. She pushed back against the brick gate, tipping her head down in disappointment.

Yankumi compared her first sighting the teenager to the angry girl in front of her. "Ueno."

The teenager's blue eyes swiftly turned to Yankumi. The teacher felt a wave of shivers in her bones.

Yankumi could see the girl taking in her appearance from head to toes and watched as her brows rose from recognition. "You… you were sitting in the teacher's office at Aojou."

If there was ever an appropriate time for an introduction in such a situation, Yankumi was going to take it. "Pardon, I'm Yamaguchi, Kumiko. 3-D teacher at Aojou gakuen. Nice to meet you, Ueno." Despite the cold and shivers, Yamaguchi was firm in her stance and greeting.

Yankumi saw Ueno's muscles tighten tensely when the teacher uttered her name.

"Don't waste your pleasantries on me. I sure as hell won't waste them on _you._" The girl retorted thickly in contempt that Yankumi gulped in spite of herself. She had dealt with Yakuza thugs her whole life so she was surprised that such talk from a young girl could make her uneasy.

Firm again, Yankumi tried again for an answer. "As your homeroom teacher, I wish to know why you dropped out on the first day of your final year?"

Fuyue scoffed in disbelief, stuffing her hands into her vest pockets. How weird was this nerd, from her jersey to her dumb glasses? "You are not my teacher, what do you care, you hag?" Swiftly, she trudged away in direction of the train station.

"I wish to know!" Yankumi exclaimed clearly and sternly.

Slowly the teenager approached her, sizing up Yankumi. Though similar in size and in the face of an authority figure, the girl bared no fear. The blue iris of her eyes appeared cloudy, as if fueled by her anger. Fuyue stood so close to Yankumi she could see her reflection in her glasses. "_Kan-ke-nai_. Doesn't concern _you_." She slowly and bitterly uttered each syllable for emphasis.

With that, the teenager sorely bumped Yankumi in the shoulder as she continued towards the station tracks. Yankumi turned back, watching the girl's long, firm strides, her dark hair hitting like threads against the back of her vest.

Yankumi wrapped her arms around herself as a strong frosty wind blew through her clothes and against her skin. It was a shock to her system as the whole day had been so lovely and warm. Though it was April, had winter's frigid temperatures returned?

* * *

The orange in the sky had dwindled into a mere line against the progressively blacker sky. Yankumi gazed at the night sky, remembering how once, in the country side, she had seen so many stars. It was rare to see them in Tokyo. Stars were a natural luxury saved only for the driest winter nights.

She sat on the edge of the street in between two cars, partly for the break in the wind and partly not to draw too much attention. She didn't want homeowners to question why a woman sat in the cold outside their homes for hours and possibly phone the police.

By then the street lights were flickering on, one by one and in the distance a dog was barking as the occasional passersby or car. Yankumi flipping her wrist to check her watch, wondering how much longer she could wait?

A slow set of steps caught her attention as a figure's shadow stretched across the pavement. The figure was tallish in the distance, clad in a dark uniform. Yankumi could tell it was a boy's school uniform by the trousers and long heavy buttoned top. When she recognized it as Seinen's style, she stood up.

"Excuse me, Tsukino?" Yankumi softly uttered, hoping the figure hadn't been put off by her sudden appearance.

The student paused while twisting the clasp on the creaky gate of the Tsukino house. Yankumi saw the young person's head slightly nudge in her direction, but instead of acknowledging her properly, the figure struggled to open the gate. One of the hinges was broken.

Yankumi reluctantly crossed the street, not letting her time spent waiting go in vain. "I'm a teacher at Aojou. I'm deeply sorry for bothering you at this time, but do you have a moment, Tsukino?"

The teenager shut the gate with difficulty then turned away from Yankumi to hop up the walkway, while fishing for keys in his blazer pocket.

"Tsukino!" Yankumi called out to the boy in the dark school uniform at the gate. The boy didn't glance back, reaching forward with a key to unlock the house door. Yankumi bit her lip, quickly calculating the risk and potential consequences of her next plunge. "Please talk to me, HARUHI!" She called out desperately, slightly panting from rushing and pressing herself against the gate.

Through the bars, Yankumi watched the teenager slowly replaced the door key back into his blazer pocket. He turned and he saw the pigtailed teacher with glasses.

Yankumi could recognize the vulnerable look on the teenager's face from the student file. It was like night and day. The teenager ahead of her was a far cry from the student in the picture. Instead of a cute blue uniform with a bowtie, the student was clad in an all black uniform with the Seinen emblem buttons. The student's hair was cut much shorter and dyed several shades darker, judging by the monotone hue.

If not for the square face, pronounced features and fragile-looking eyes, Yankumi would have concluded that she had met the wrong student.

"Please, Haruhi. I am the new 3-D teacher for Aojou Gakuen. I have some very important things to ask you." Yankumi asked again, softly.

Haruhi swallowed indecisively, staring forlornly. Despite the darkness, Yankumi saw the concession in his features as he sighed.

* * *

Haruhi had asked, politely Yankumi noticed, that they talk away from the station and down another street where his father wouldn't spot them. They found a secluded spot away from the street lights and flow of traffic, around the corner of the brick wall.

"I am Yamaguchi, Kumiko, homeroom teacher of 3-D at Aojou Gakuen. Regards." She greeted.

He bowed. "Kind regards." He cleared his throat, his tone sounded forced and hollow, deeper than it was supposed to sound. "_Watashi_ I-err- _Boku _I am Tsukino, Haruhi—err, Haruhi_ro_." He quickly amended his name while mixing the usual boy's honorfic boku and and the girl's watashi.

Yankumi inhaled deeply, mentally preparing herself for the delicate yet imperative discussion. "Earlier… you responded to Haruhi…a girl's name."

The gears in Haruhiro's head spun at maximum, however he failed to compose an easy explanation.

Though Yankumi needed an explanation, she wasn't willing to force him to answer. "I suppose, Haruhi and Haruhiro are similar enough that it can be easily mistaken. Just one character in difference." Yankumi sighed with a cheery tone, offering Haruhiro some ease from pressure. She hadn't given up yet. "Please pardon my intrusion upon your evening. I know you probably wanted to go straight home and relax after a long day at school."

Haruhiro bit his lip and consciously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yep, it was quite a long day." He didn't lie. It _had _been a long day spent avoiding school and everyone he knew.

"Sahhh, but I am not your teacher. The reason for my visit tonight is to ask about someone you know, Ueno, Fuyue."

Haruhiro turned his chin to Yankumi, mouth rounded, obviously concerned. "Is she alright? Is she hurt?"

Yankumi shook her head. "Nothing like that. She dropped out of school this morning." The teacher said simply, pausing when Haruhiro breathed in intensely and thoughtfully. "Because Aojou faculty wishes for me to have nothing to do with _either _of you and because Ueno is not exactly happy to speak with anyone from Aojou, I figured you would talk. Why would your friend drop out?"

Haruhiro chewed on his nail, pondering. "We're not…on the best of terms at the moment."

Yankumi pointed behind her towards his house. "She was here earlier, speaking to your parent. It did not go well."

"I believe that." Haruhiro snickered humorlessly.

"Why would she drop out?"

"Why would one student dropping out matter to you?" He asked, attempting to be accusing, yet his naturally warm voice betrayed him.

"Even though she dropped out, I consider myself Ueno's homeroom teacher because if not for her drop out request, she would be sitting in my homeroom class. I would be the person to guide her through her schoolwork and through crosswords in life. I wish I had known about this situation and her drop out plans so that I could have spoken with her. I would have tried wholeheartedly to change her mind. I think school is worthwhile for anyone, even if the system has been hard on them before for being 'too rough around the edges'. I want nothing more than for all of my students to graduate together." Yankumi answered sincerely, pressing a palm over her beating heart as if to swear by her words.

_I want nothing more than for all of my students to graduate together. _Haruhiro felt pangs in his chest from those words. Why would a teacher say those things? Why would she wait in the cold evening waiting for his return just to talk to him about Fuyue dropping out? Unless she really cared…

Yankumi didn't repeat her question, allowing her words to slowly marinate. If he still wouldn't answer then so be it.

Haruhiro shut his eyes momentarily, to gather himself. Originally he hadn't wished to talk about Haruhi/Haruhiro but for his friend's sake, it was a sacrifice he needed to make. "It was fault she dropped out. She's furious about what happened."

Yankumi shook her head. "What happened?"

"You don't know? I thought someone had told you and you were meaning avoiding it to ask about Fuyue."

Yankumi shook her head. "I just started Aojou today. All I know is that Ueno and Tsukino bring up unease from my colleagues, especially the Principal. I'm sorry if this brings up painful memories."

"Painful, yet necessary to explain. To explain things in the best way…I was born in the wrong body." He said so simply, almost casually but Yankumi was aware that his statement was one of the deepest confessions someone could express.

"I was born Haruhi_ro_ but…I always felt like a girl. Like being born a boy was a birth defect. A mistake" He drew out the 'ro' in his name as if unaccustomed. "Growing up, Fuyue was my best friend. She was the first person I came out to as a transgender. She was actually the one who insisted that I come out to my parents. She really pushed me to do it and without her support, I would have crumbled from my parents' grief. As brutal as she can act sometimes, she really does care."

"That was back in middle school. Coming out was the hardest thing I had ever done. I was nervous about going to school as the real yet new me, a girl, when my classmates had only known me as a boy. Fuyue suggested applying together to an all girls' school so that I would be more comfortable."

"Did Aojou know or did they have any problems with your application?" Yankumi asked curiously, wondering how a school could not notice a student complete all of her education as a boy then completing high school as a girl?

"Aojou's administration did not check my legal gender. They probably never thought to look for inconsistencies in gender from middle school records and a high school application. Fuyue and I had only gone to co-ed schools." Haruhiro shrugged. "I never thought it would work but Fuyue made sure I applied. We were both accepted by Aojou, my parents gave me more grief"—Yankumi was saddened by the forced smile he had—"but overall, I was happy with my decision."

"Did anyone ever notice?" Yankumi pondered aloud, imagining her days as a high school student and if she theoretically would have been able to hide her gender from her fellow classmates if necessary?

Suddenly Haruhiro grinned sincerely as if remembering something wonderful. "Fuyue was amazing over the years—more than I can ever express. Like a bodyguard, she always made sure I could find a secluded bathroom or spot in the locker room to change without the other girls or teachers noticing." He laughed despite Yankumi's presence. Yankumi noticed how his pitch rose genuinely, without any forced deepening of his voice. He noticed too-he cleared his throat, effectively squashing Haruhi. "We had many almost-disasters, but Fuyue so clever, she would always maneuver us out of catastrophe. Once she pressed the fire alarm when she spotted a group of teachers walking near where I was changing."

"Eh! That's illegal!" Yankumi scolded but Haruhiro continued laughing for another moment, not caring about using a manly tone.

"Things were like that for the first two years." Haruhiro slowly calmed down but grew somber.

"Were? What changed?" Yankumi carefully asked, crossing her arms against the chilly breeze.

Haruhiro stroked his jaw and tipped his head down, staring at his shoes. "One idle day, we were shopping when former male classmates recognized her and then me. They pummeled me and Fuyue when she got involved…one of their rings gave me this"—he trailed his thumb over a maroon scar just under his chin. "With strength I never imagined she had, Fuyue fought them off. However, both schools got involved. Word got out that I was transgendered. Suddenly the focus changed from the boys instigating the fight to _why is there a…_boy_ at an all girls' school_? One guess as to who got punished…"

"Eh? Just like that?" Yankumi's eyes widened.

Haruhiro was thankful for her revulsion—he didn't know if he could handle another self righteous teacher automatically siding with the administration… "We were threatened with expulsion but since we had never been in trouble before we were told that if we wrote apologies, we wouldn't be expelled. Fuyue was nearly too stubborn, but I begged with every bit of my being. _You must graduate_, I got down to my knees once to beg and she stomped away. Still, after that, she agree, albeit reluctantly. After we wrote out apologies, suddenly they informed me that I needed to 'transfer' or be expelled."

"Eh?! _Excuse me _but what sort of a choice is that?" Yankumi's tone rose sharply but she excused herself and calmed her voice.

"That's what Fuyue said—a bit _differently_ but essentially the same. She told me she felt cheated as if the rug had been pulled away from underneath her. She vowed to drop out if they forced me to transfer for legally being a boy, but I got angry with her. _You must graduate._If I transfer, I'll still graduate. Fuyue didn't relent this time. Aojou was wrong, wrong to abandon one of their students, she cried. We haven't spoken since earlier this year, since she shouted that at me in front of Aojou's administrators."

Yankumi was silent for a long time, gazing solemnly at the orangey haze then up at the black sky. She was sympathetic for the school's difficult position but, if she had been there, she was certain of which side she would have stuck by. If Aojou hadn't betrayed Haruhi, she would have been in Yankumi's homeroom, with Fuyue.

"So, now you're at Seinen. I checked the school records and I know you haven't attended yet."

Haruhiro open his mouth to utter but merely mumbled a noise, knowing it was futile to lie.

"Are the boys who assault you Seinen students? Are they why you have gone back to school yet?"

Haruhiro ran a hand through his hair repeatedly at the ends, missing his longer, lighter hair. "Ehn. They are Seinen students and that incident wasn't the last time they have bullied me. I'm terrified of them but frankly, the worst thing is that they're forcing me to be a boy. I wore this uniform today and felt trapped. I was taking the supplements before but since this incident, my dad has stopped them. 'This is a sign that this girl-nonsense needs to end.'" He muttered bitterly, choking on his own words. "If nothing happens, I will mature into man, Fuyue and I will never speak again and she will never graduate."

Yankumi had been so absorbed by Haruhi's words that she felt detached from her own body. She peered up into the polluted sky, but she was humbled by what she saw. Splendor glowing stubbornly and impossibly through the murkiness and haze. The teacher smiled, optimistic and energetic with resolve. Armed without a plan other than the immense desire to make one, Yankumi bowed her head. "_Wakatta_. I understand. Thank you for your time and words."

Haruhiro wasn't quick enough to reply before Yankumi broke into a run. As the odd, nerdy-looking, blue jersey-clad teacher grow smaller in the distance, Haruhi gazed up at the sky. Her sorrow melted away upon discovery of a few twinkling stars.

* * *

Phew! I hope I handled that well. Concrit would be very much appreciated, flames not so much...so please refrain from bashing your fists angrily onto the keyboard...


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